The sight of piercing needles through the skin in specific areas of the body may appear to be painful, but acupuncture is actually an ancient form of pain relief treatment that improves the flow of energy throughout the body. Acupuncture originated in China thousands of years ago and is still being practiced until now. The National Institutes of Health has sponsored several studies on the effects of acupuncture as pain relief treatment for conditions such as arthritis and other ailments that produce chronic pain. While western scientists suspect that acupuncture may stimulate the release of chemicals to soothe pain or prompt the body’s natural healing abilities, the patient’s faith or belief in acupuncture is a big factor in the procedure’s success.
According to Dr. Hayes Wilson, chief rheumatologist at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta and national medical adviser to the Arthritis Foundation, says that acupuncture can work for anybody. However, he said that,…it’s going to work for the people who believe in it. Many pain relief treatments are effective because of the patient’s belief in them. People who don’t believe that...